Post-Game Talk: New York Rangers at Pittsburgh Penguins Game 4

[OverTheCap]

The Rangers scored both goals by crashing the net and wreaking havoc in the crease, and that's exactly what they should be doing on the PP. Their net presence on the PP is inconsistent at best, someone needs to be screening Fleury at all times. Enough of the fancypants crap already. Attempting to execute precision passing against one of the best PKs in the league is not going to work.

 

[Levitate]

There's maaaayyyyybe a chance Moore clipped his chin but the whole reaction and everything didn't really look like that

 

[Son of Steinbrenner]

That should also make a difference.

Clearly the win was big. There are three items that stood out to me from the worrisome perspective.

1. PP - AV has to fix this. This is as pathetic a PP as anything that this board was up in arms about when Torts had this team in the playoffs.
2. The icings - When the stretch passes miss or the passing is not crisp enough, there are far too many of these. The icings bring the Rangers back to their zone and keep tired players on the ice.
3. Face offs - when the icings occur, it forces the Rangers to take draws in their own end. Face offs are a weakness for this team and points 2 & 3 combine to give the other team life as they are able to put instant pressure on.

As if the board isn't up in arms about the power play. You can keep pretending that this board has some sort of agenda against Torts......It doesn't.....Just think, if Torts did a better job with the team he would still be the coach. And before you say the Rangers learned a lot from Torts (they did) you should examine the rosters Torts had to this team's roster. I think it might surprise you how many players didn't play for Torts. How many President's Trophy wins did Torts Rangers teams have? How many Eastern Conference Championships? Maybe arguing the Torts point isn't the best idea. I mean I like Torts, I appreciate what he did here but the Rangers clearly have a better coach now. What's amazing to me is that you bring up the complaints about Torts power plays in the playoffs. You know what Torts didn't do? He didn't adjust anything, they just kept going out and doing the same thing. Lets compare that to AV and the adjustments he makes to the power play units. Is it entirely possible the Penguins penalty killers are....I.....don't.....know....good at killing penalties? Maybe?

The icings are annoying but it's part of the Rangers strategy and to your last point, the Rangers dominated the Penguins on defensive zone draws.....even with tired players. What instant pressure did you see last night? Not to mention you claim that icings are tiring the players out, yet the Rangers got better as the game went on last night. Want proof? Look at the shots in the first half of the game and the second half of the game.

The Rangers power play must be improved but they are getting decent looks. The Rangers had trouble entering the zone in game 2 and at times last night both at even strength. That's going to happen but this team finds a way to win....Hopefully it continues. If it doesn't you will have a whole summer to complain about it....

 

[Roo Returns]

Rangers have been trying the Red Army Power Play for years now. It doesn't work. You don't need an All Star personnel to have a good PP. Go back even to games of the pre-Messier Rangers with Kissio, Ogrodnick, Mullen. Those teams never had a bomber from the point or a real power forward but had good PPs. Execution and keeping it simple. Shoot and create chaos.

 

[Loff]

Guys, as far as I know, ROOT *IS* covering this series.

According to the schedule, yes. You won't get that feed on NHL Gamecenter though.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I think its also worth mentioning that it could be important getting a win in the first OT of the playoffs given Henriks OT woes in his career. This team is due some sort of OT streak in the playoffs.

Henrik very quietly had an excellent performance last night.

 

[AWall THE CLAW]

Do we know who is going to be doing the game tomorrow for NBCSN for us non-NY-market people? I know someone posted a list or a resource for that info a week ago but I can't find the post.

 

[True Blue]

Rangers have been trying the Red Army Power Play for years now. It doesn't work.

For years. Not sure why simple on-goal wristers from the point, as screening the goalie is abhorred.

In my view, the icings are almost as troubling. That cannot continue either.

 

[Vinny DeAngelo]

Rangers have been trying the Red Army Power Play for years now. It doesn't work. You don't need an All Star personnel to have a good PP. Go back even to games of the pre-Messier Rangers with Kissio, Ogrodnick, Mullen. Those teams never had a bomber from the point or a real power forward but had good PPs. Execution and keeping it simple. Shoot and create chaos.

That would require av putting guys like Kreider and miller on the power play cuz they're willing to muck it up unlike guys like Nash and msl

 

[Holocene]

Do we know who is going to be doing the game tomorrow for NBCSN for us non-NY-market people? I know someone posted a list or a resource for that info a week ago but I can't find the post.

We get the main crew and the primetime slots. Gotta suck for NBC that this is the worst series lol.

 

[Son of Steinbrenner]

For years. Not sure why simple on-goal wristers from the point, as screening the goalie is abhorred.

Who says it is? Do you have any proof to back up anything you write? Any quotes from the coaching staff or players?

In my view, the icings are almost as troubling. That cannot continue either.

Yet the Rangers are up 3 games to 1 and dominated the Penguins on defensive draws. Weird right.....

 

[Miller Time NYR]

I think its also worth mentioning that it could be important getting a win in the first OT of the playoffs given Henriks OT woes in his career. This team is due some sort of OT streak in the playoffs.

Henrik very quietly had an excellent performance last night.

This was the first thing I thought of when they went to OT after bringing up his subpar OT record in the playoffs.

 

[Trxjw]

NBC clearly has a business agenda bias as the other poster pointed out the demographics due to ROOT SPORTS not covering the series. Doc, Pierre, and Eddie are fairly biased and Canada tries to sell Crosby regardless. Canadian broadcast has been getting Bob Cole who is operating at a 3 second delay on announcing or noticing key sequences. "The Rangers think they've scored (the ref has already waved at the net 3 times and waved toward Brassard indicating the goal scorer), they're celebrating..... and they've scored! The refs agree and the Rangers have tied the game"

I watched the game on ROOT last night. In fact, I believe the only game they didn't cover was game 2 because they were showing the Pirates game instead.

All of you being relegated to NBC should be thankful you don't have to endure the atrocious homerism on ROOT. Steigerwald sounds like a spoiled child who isn't getting his way, and Errey isn't any better. They're hands down the worst broadcast team in hockey.

Sadly I loaned out my hockey streams account to a friend who has no cable in his new house, so I can't tune in to NBC or MSG.

 

[NJBlueShirt]

There's maaaayyyyybe a chance Moore clipped his chin but the whole reaction and everything didn't really look like that

He didnt even come close to making contact. Total flop job and now the Pens are doing damage control with that ridiculous statement.

 

[Son of Steinbrenner]

I watched the game on ROOT last night. In fact, I believe the only game they didn't cover was game 2 because they were showing the Pirates game instead.

All of you being relegated to NBC should be thankful you don't have to endure the atrocious homerism on ROOT. Steigerwald sounds like a spoiled child who isn't getting his way, and Errey isn't any better. They're hands down the worst broadcast team in hockey.

Sadly I loaned out my hockey streams account to a friend who has no cable in his new house, so I can't tune in to NBC or MSG.

The Penguin announcers are terrible. Is Pittsburgh such a thin skinned town that fans can't handle a home announcer playing it straight? I mean Sam Rosen roots for the Rangers but I'm old enough to remember when Sam and JD would kill the Rangers when they played terrible and then Bob Page at the MSG Sportsdesk would kill them.

Dolan ruined MSG network and how unique it used to be. As a Yankee fan I'm jealous of SNY vs Yes. SNY will criticize the Mets if they are playing bad. The YES network.....well....not so much.

 

[The Gloaming]

That flop by Lapierre put the last few years of Subban's antics to shame.

 

[IAMREALITY]

Keith Yandle To Sit When Klein Returns

Don't believe me? Well, according to the writer below it's the likely scenario!!

Ok, so obviously the concept is totally absurd, but I found her statement hilarious for obvious reasons. It's at the end of the article. Shame too, because up until that point, I actually had really been enjoying the article and found it to be quite good!

http://www.sportingnews.com/nhl/sto...cdonagh-yandle-klein-staal-lundqvist-penguins

 

[Pizza]

Last night was classic Stanley Cup Playoff Hockey. Actually the whole series has been.

No nifty, bang bang passing plays. Just dirty, ugly, gritty goals from a scrum in the crease.

No time or space. Classic playoff hockey.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Yeah, Yandle isn't sitting. LOL.

 

[Levitate]

I think that's supposed to say "unlikely", though why she would need to say that and not just point out that Hunwick is the odd man out is beyond me

 

[Loff]

Yeah, Yandle isn't sitting. LOL.

True. That part was random as ****.

 

[Machinehead]

Rangers report that Dan Girardi escaped injury after accidentally falling from his 24th floor apartment window. The 9 year veteran suffered only a mild scrape, and then assisted repair crews in fixing the extensive damage to the pavement.

 

[IAMREALITY]

I think that's supposed to say "unlikely", though why she would need to say that and not just point out that Hunwick is the odd man out is beyond me

Maybe she meant unlikely? But even if she did, it's still a strange statement; implying it was ever in question for a second whether or not he'd be sitting when Klein returns. So even in that case it's still head scratching. Other than that one line though, I actually really did enjoy the rest of the read.

On edit: She actually replied to me, and states that line must've been thrown in during editing, and it wasn't hers. She had no idea it was in there. I would hate being a writer and knowing that editing can come along and put words in my mouth.

 

[IAMREALITY]

Rangers report that Dan Girardi escaped injury after accidentally falling from his 24th floor apartment window. The 9 year veteran suffered only a mild scrape, and then assisted repair crews in fixing the extensive damage to the pavement.

Do they have Corsi numbers in regards to pavement repair? If so, we need them, or this story is worthless.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

WOW

There's maaaayyyyybe a chance Moore clipped his chin but the whole reaction and everything didn't really look like that

Watching the replay, Moore hit him below the NHL crest on the front of the jersey and slightly above the Pens logo.

Lapperiere was holding the side of his face and had his head down on the bench with the trainer leaning over him the whole time. That's an embarrassment to the sport. That's worse than going to a knee when you feel a stick in your feet, that's flagrant acting.